Tour of California - Page 5

pasadena · #61 05-16-2019, 01:35 PM

I feel for Asgreen. He should be wearing the leaders jersey. The team should be enjoying some prize money and uci points.
It's really outrageous to steal the race from someone like this, so clearly against the rules.

makes the TOC look like a backyard operation, but oh well.Still a lot of good racing to watch I guess.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaybee

This jury decision is baffling to me. It certainly doesn't have great optics, and I have to ask if the value of keeping Teejay (certainly the highest profile American rider) in the lead is worth the blowback and having someone like Lefevre ripping you up in the press. Are organizers worried that they won't be able to attract any casual fans without an American protaganist?

I think Lefevre has some blowhard tendencies, but he's absolutely right here: Crashing and getting back on terms is part of racing, sorry you weren't at the front when it went down, bro.

Red Tornado · #62 05-16-2019, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prototoast

I can't understand the decision either. Tejay crashed on his own to start. Then he missed the turn. In order to get him back to the same time as the leader, they had to ignore: 1) the fact that the crash occurred outside of 3k to go, 2) the fact that he wasn't with the group when the crash occurred, and 3) how much drafting off the team car he was doing.

It takes the confluence of a lot of questionable decisions to bring Tejay back to the front of the race. It's never nice to see someone lose a race because of a crash, but it happens and it sure isn't transparent when a rider is going to be gifted the same time as the stage winner.

+1 on that. Asgreen got hosed big time and I would be furious if I were in Lefevre's position, too. I say he has a legitimate gripe; might even make a formal protest to the UCI - if that's an option. One of the dumbest UCI jury decisions I've seen and smacks of trying to keep TVG in the lead. If that wasn't their intent, I don't know how they can defend their ruling. Hopefully this crew gets called out to explain their "rationale". Is this the kind of publicity the ToC might not want or need? I realize lots of folk say any publicity is good, but is it really, in this case?

ScottW · #63 05-16-2019, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattTuck

Ah yes, the Tour of California, also known as the Tour of being preempted for the NHL play offs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pasadena

...Still a lot of good racing to watch I guess.

Yup, good to watch when I can watch it. I've been pretty good at catching some of the 4-7 pm EDT online streaming.
The 1-hour recap on NBCSN would be nice to help fill in the blanks. I understand getting preempted by NHL playoffs (I watch those games too, even though my Caps were eliminated two rounds ago), but then they follow it with another hour of hockey coverage to recap the same effin game I literally just watched and thus don't need recapped, then an hour of some Mario Andretti stuff in which I have zero interest.
By the time they get around to airing the ToC recap (1:00-2:00 am) all I'm watching is the backs of my eyelids.

BRad704 · #64 05-16-2019, 04:07 PM

Yeah as much as I root for EF, I can't really support or be happy with TVG being in yellow today.

pdmtong · #65 05-16-2019, 05:11 PM

I'm no fan of TVG. That aside, the rule is 3.0k, not 3.4k.
It's racing. The cards fall as fate decides. $ hit happens.

Some of the roads they race on I have ridden. And to see them do that at their speed is just great.
For example descending Hamilton - lots of gravel and tight corners. One difference though: try that when the road is open to cars.

pasadena · #66 05-16-2019, 05:28 PM

There's so much on the line too. Not that they are poor, but travel and support is significant. Moreso, the UCI points, the queue of the motorcade, money... there is a windfall of things that come with that jersey.
It also would be huge for someone like Asgreen.
The sad thing is even BMC accepted the loss of the jersey. TJ,Lachlan M, even the DS Weigelius all accepted the loss of jersey and said "that's racing".I dont know if BMC lodged a protest or if the officials just decided today is the day to cheat.
One of the worst race decisions I can think of. You can't even argue for it if you wanted to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRad704

Yeah as much as I root for EF, I can't really support or be happy with TVG being in yellow today.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdmtong

I'm no fan of TVG. That aside, the rule is 3.0k, not 3.4k.
It's racing. The cards fall as fate decides. $ hit happens.

Some of the roads they race on I have ridden. And to see them do that at their speed is just great.
For example descending Hamilton - lots of gravel and tight corners. One difference though: try that when the road is open to cars.

muz · #67 05-16-2019, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdmtong

For example descending Hamilton - lots of gravel and tight corners. One difference though: try that when the road is open to cars.

BTW, they descended Quimby after Mt Hamilton summit, which is much trickier with steep hairpins compared to CA-130.

pdmtong · #68 05-16-2019, 07:08 PM

That's very true - the South Bay pain cave is up metcalf quimby and sierra

gibbo · #69 05-16-2019, 08:17 PM

TGV NEVER got back to the main group after the first crash at 10km. How the UCI came up with this ruling is an absolute joke. If TVG ends up winning the ToC this will be the biggest embarrassment for cycling and the UCI in a long time.

FlashUNC · #70 05-16-2019, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gibbo

TGV NEVER got back to the main group after the first crash at 10km. How the UCI came up with this ruling is an absolute joke. If TVG ends up winning the ToC this will be the biggest embarrassment for cycling and the UCI in a long time.

Yeah but the Tour of California doesn't matter all that much. It's a race for vacationing Euro pros with US sponsor commitments, domestic US pros to get their doors blown off and sponsor junkets across the state.

It ain't a Grand Tour.

mtechnica · #71 05-16-2019, 11:10 PM

Riding up baldy tomorrow wish me luck

weisan · #72 05-17-2019, 05:52 PM

wow, what a mountaintop finish!

soulspinner · #73 05-17-2019, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

Yeah but the Tour of California doesn't matter all that much. It's a race for vacationing Euro pros with US sponsor commitments, domestic US pros to get their doors blown off and sponsor junkets across the state.

It ain't a Grand Tour.

Oh stop being so big view. Its a domestic bike race..

rounder · #74 05-17-2019, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weisan

wow, what a mountaintop finish!

Yeah. It was a good stage. Pogacar (??) eked out the win and has the overall lead. I think I heard them say that he is 20 y.o. and is the leader of his team. It was a good finish.

pdmtong · #75 05-17-2019, 08:18 PM

TGV will probably blame his endo for a bad day today but he's never shown the panache to hang on a big climb. His fade was expected by all of us. His result and that of asgreen and moscon will allow the debacle to fade and become less important as an aspect of the race.